Marseille (AFP)

The mad race from Olympique de Marseille to the Champions League came to a halt with the sad draw conceded at home against Angers (0-0), where Dimitri Payet missed a lot, Saturday for the 21st day of League 1.

The "orphans" of Payet, suspended, never found a solution in the chain mail of Anjou, hampered by the pressing and the organization of the SCO.

The OM series remains beautiful, 26 points out of 30, but the L1 runner missed the opportunity to widen the gap with Rennes (3rd), held in check in Nice (1-1) the day before: always five steps ahead.

In the ranking, not too much damage, therefore, but the level of play was very low, without the creativity of the Reunion N.10.

The first shot on target came after the hour, by Valentin Rongier (63), and it was not dangerous.

Too many Marseillais have not been level, starting with Maxime Lopez. Awkward, as if inhibited, he left for the first time in his "Minot" career under whistles from the Vélodrome, not unanimous but audible, replaced by Valère Germain (65).

Morgan Sanson was transparent, and Dario Benedetto, who has not yet scored in 2020, only managed one gesture, a brilliant pass for Nemanja Radonjic who crossed his shot too much (45).

- Windmill gives change to Villas-Boas -

The Serb is also the only one who tried to shake his own, but he experienced too much waste in his dribbles. Placed on the left, in place of Payet, as he dreamed, "Nema" struck better once ironed to the right, after having swapped with Lopez.

Only Valentin Rongier and Jordan Amavi held their rank, but in a "brawl" role, to recover balloons, which says a lot about OM's difficult match.

At the Vélodrome, the Angevin "slab" has regained its fighting qualities and has earned its point, with its very clean ball circulation and its defensive discipline.

Angers brings back a good point but lost his wing Farid El Melali, out in tears and on a stretcher, suffering from the left knee, on which Jordan Amavi had fallen on a harmless action. He was replaced by Antonin Bobichon (29).

In the coaching duel, Stéphane Moulin returned the change to André Villas-Boas, after the first leg where OM had trapped the SCO by leaving him the ball (2-0). The aggressive pressing of the "yellow vests" of Anjou has greatly annoyed the Marseillais.

- Indigeste -

But suddenly, the show remained very indigestible.

Side atmosphere, supporters greeted by banners, at the resumption of the second period, "a state of mind found", but still claim "resignation direction", in red.

They pushed their players but did not see much.

OM did not manage to obtain opportunities, Lopez (7) then "Pipa" Benedetto, after Rongier missed a volley (30), procrastinated before goal.

The first Olympian shots were far from the frame, by Benedetto (35) then Radonjic (36).

The best opportunity came just before the break, on Benedetto's pass for Radonjic.

In the second half, OM pressed a little more, but their strikes remained soft (Saïf-Eddine Khaoui, 77) or countered (Marley Aké, 90 + 1).

Angers carried the danger even less, without a shot on target, just strikes next to Sada Thioub (21), Pierrick Capelle (74) or Bobichon (89). The biggest scare for the stadium came from a victorious shot from Capelle, but Stéphane Bahoken was offside at the start (76).

The defeat would have been really cruel for OM, who must settle for a point.

© 2020 AFP